First, consider if numbers must be displayed. Showing numbers can lead to detailed discussions that may not be necessary and can be distracting. If you show numbers, be ready to answer questions like, "What is a user call and how does that relate to performance?" If you don't want to answer this because it is a clear distraction to your objectives, then do not show these numbers.

I am not advocating misleading or misrepresenting the situation. I am advocating appropriate abstraction and simplification to get the job done. You can drive down to the details, but don't go there unless it becomes necessary.

Figure 9-11 is an example of a very high-level response-time graph. With a graph like this, you can help your audience understand three fundamental facts: